Airtran Travelers beware

[MemoryMakers2669]

Sorry that's benn your experience, but it is only one person's experience. :

Which would be exactly why I said "I" in my post. Never once did I try to say that everyone had this happen to them. For me and my markets, they have sucked so far!

 

[kevw67]

wizard:[/QUOTE]:What the op might be forgetting: Airtran is not just having your original flight sit on the tarmac for an extra 4 hours in order to inconvenience you. There are thousands of flights, thousands of planes that are being scheduled in a large orchestration. Changes have to be made according to market conditions (and/or equipment changes) or no airline is going to stay in business. Would you expect to be able to reserve a specific hotel room (#211) in a hotel and have them tell you exactly when housekeeping will have it ready for you a year out? And then do the same for 400 other guests at the same hotel? A logistical nightmare. Moral of the story: if you're going to book a year in advance for dirt cheap fares, don't be surprised at a slight change in the iternerary.

And really, I hope you're just in this for the argument's sake, Don Quixote, and have a good time at WDW. [/QUOTE]


I do not rely on housekeeping to get me to my destination on time. They clean my room. If they dont, no big deal. I have already posted that delays caused by nature or a large number of flights are one thing because at least the scheduled departure is being adhered to and they are trying to get out on time. This man made snafu that I am in is a totally different story. Its great that paople in larger markets can get good rates and leave when they want. Im happy for you. I fly out of Buffalo, considered a smaller market. I teach; my vacations are dictated by the school calendar which coincides with peak travel. I do not care about the price, although great rates always help. I care about times....I want to get the most out of my vacations which is why I leave early and come home late. Airtran offered that when I originally booked and now they dont. this aggrevates me to no end. That is popint of this post....nothing to do with price, everything to do with having times switched and jerking the customer around. this has been the message in all my replies.

 

[Lewisc]

nothing to do with price, everything to do with having times switched and jerking the customer around. this has been the message in all my replies.

I gave you the link to SWs blog. SW only extends their schedule when it's final.


They have two daily N/S flights from Buffalo to Orlando and 4 other flights that are connecting (or direct)

They have an early flight that leaves at 7:25a and arrives at 10:15a.

THIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PRICE. Several times you said you booked early because you didn't want to have to pay double. Your message was you booked early to save $$$. You message is you wanted the price saving from booking early but were unwilling to accept the kind of schedule changes that comes with booking early.

SWs maximum, fully refundable fare from BUF to MCO is $226. I doubt you ever could have gotten the flights you wanted from SW for under $400 R/T.

You wanted the price savings from an early booking but you weren't willing to accept the resulting schedule changes.


No excuse for rude service but Airtran moved you to the appropriate flight.

 

[kevw67]

Lewis..never said they were rude....when flights came out it was a nonstop which was appealing....I could have taken an earlier flight cheaper, but chose the nonstop for more, so it had nothing to do with price. It boils down to times when I can travel and them switching it. i did not mention this in my earlier post because I did not figure this would carry on this far. i did get your link for the blog and I thank you for it. I guess we will never see eye to eye which is fine. I thinkg they are wrong, you think they are right. My guess is that people who are not bound by time constrictions are cool with policy, those of us who do have restrictions on when we can travel probably care more about this issue than others. Im good with that, but I dont have to accept this policy in principle.

 

[keishashadow]

I agree w/the OP that (out of PIT) AT is:

Infamous for:

* schedule changes

* not notifying customers of said schedule changes (booked a flight for DS it left 20 min early, AT said they changed it 3 days prior to the flight & sent an email - nope!)

* eliminating direct flights (grrr)

* losing/damaging 'our' luggage

but

Famous for:

* readily refunding full tix price if you're not happy with new flight

* allowing you to reuse vouchers within the appropriate time frame

* providing credits/vouchers for luggage issues when you call them out on it.

* consistently beating SW on peak air travel dates

* publishing their "suggested " schedule & allowing purchases 6 -7 months prior...comforting for many of us who don't like surprises.

Lost cost/budget air travel has it's trade-offs.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay....listen.. when you hold a room with a credit card, you are entitled to a room for the said time. Now maybe in the World of Magic and Happiness some people have been moved to a different hotel, but when I have been on the road and reserved a room for an overnight with my credit card, I have never been told, "sorry you out of luck we overbooked and you'll have sleep in your car at the Wal-mart down the road."

Again, simply because something hasn't been experienced by you does NOT mean it doesn't happen. It happens in the hotel business a lot. It's called "walking" the guest. No, they don't send you to WalMart's parking lot, they do (or at least reputable ones do) find you another place to stay for the night and usually pay for that night.

Why is unrealistic to expect airlines to have a set flight schedule so far out? subways run on schedule for months on end with few changes. Bus routes run on schedule with few changes

Do you know what YOU'RE doing, exactly, 331 days from 9:01 PM tonight? Don't know about where you live, but around here the public transit schedules change every four months. Sometimes not much, sometimes not at all... on the other hand, a bus route that's being utilized by a hundred people a day is probably going to be cut back, or eliminated and combined with another route. That's what happened with my airport bus - they cut the schedule in half, it only runs once an hour now and less on weekends... which is better than the original plan, which was to eliminate it.

You are missing the point...I understand the fine print...my point is that it is wrong! The crap they airlines pull is wrong! Do you get my point? I find it amusing that people who know all the answers and are satisfied with being treated that way. We, as consumers, pay for a service or product. When we get a crappy product, we complain. When we get crappy service we complain.

Satisfied? No. But an informed consumer? You betcha. I don't see how you're getting 'crappy' service.
The flight you booked no longer exists.
AirTran transferred you to the most reasonable existing flight - would you have preferred that they just cancel your reservation and NOT provide any alternative?
You were not satisfied with the schedule change, so YOU chose to depart a day in advance - at no additional cost from the airline.

because at least the scheduled departure is being adhered to

Scheduled departures ARE being adhered to. Your original flight is no longer scheduled, aka no longer exists. Exactly how do you expect an airline to transport you on a non-existent flight?

Oh, and from all LewisC's posts I've read (on all threads, not just this one ) I don't think he thinks AirTran is right, he just realizes that they're within their rights.

 

[Lewisc]

Exactly. I normally fly SW, I've never flown Air Tran. I just re-read the OP.

This is the only airline I have ever had this problem with and it has happened 3 other times.

Dare I say the OP got exactly what he should have expected if not deserved. He knew in advance Air Tran books early against a projected schedule. Not only is Air Tran within their rights but the OP knew that's the way they do business. Book early, Book cheap and then adjust the schedule.

It's not possible to get the kinds of fares we want and have the ability to book a year in advance against a fixed schedule. OP kept saying it's not about money but said he didn't want to wait to book because he didn't want to pay double. The OP decided fare was most important, he knew the schedule would change when he booked that early.

Oh, and from all LewisC's posts I've read (on all threads, not just this one ) I don't think he thinks AirTran is right, he just realizes that they're within their rights.

 

[kevw67]

katie...Im not saying Airtran gave me crappy service....Im referring to other industries such as food service where you would complain if your server threw your food on the floor then served it to you, or never came back to your table to refill drinks, whatever. Airtran has never been rude or gave me awful service when we've been on the plane, that is not my gripe. I dont have to keep posting my original complaint, you can can read that and everyone has addressed it. It is a legititmate complaint whether they are within their rights or not. People depend on airtravel for and it is bigger hassle when those schedules change compare to a bus schedule change that probably is announce way before you need it affects your commute.

 

[Lewisc]

This will be my last post on this thread.

Air Tran has a traditional approach. You can book almost a year in advance. Almost every flight has a limited number of discounted seats. Book early enough and you'll get a good fare. The SW blog describes why airlines need to adjust their schedules.

SW has a more realistic approach. They wait until their schedule is set before they sell tickets. They offer few, if any, discounted seats on flights that will sell out without discounts.

You get to decide which philosophy you like. Airtran changed your schedule on many of your past trips, you knew how they operate. Understand an airline isn't going to guarantee a specific flight a year in advance. The "solution" to your problem would be for airlines to follow SWs policy. Personally I think that's the better way to go.

I'm not saying Air Tran is right or wrong. My point is the "cost" of an airline only booking a set schedule is an end to booking a year in advance and probably an end to deeply discounted seats on holidays. One of the reasons airtran offers discounts on early bookings to to compensate for schedule changes. Wait until a few months before your flight the schedule is less likely to change but you're likely to pay more.

SW operates exactly the way you want. They don't book against a projected schedule. You can't have it both ways. You don't get to book a year early unless you're willing to accept schedule changes.

katie...Im not saying Airtran gave me crappy service....Im referring to other industries such as food service where you would complain if your server threw your food on the floor then served it to you, or never came back to your table to refill drinks, whatever. Airtran has never been rude or gave me awful service when we've been on the plane, that is not my gripe. I dont have to keep posting my original complaint, you can can read that and everyone has addressed it. It is a legititmate complaint whether they are within their rights or not. People depend on airtravel for and it is bigger hassle when those schedules change compare to a bus schedule change that probably is announce way before you need it affects your commute.

 

[lisareniff]

We love to fly Airtran because it is the only non-stop flight to MCO from ROC. From flying them a few years my experience is similar to keishashadow's...


* schedule changes

* not notifying customers of said schedule changes

* readily allowing switching flights after a flight change without charge.

* readily refunding full tix price if you're not happy with new flight

* allowing you to reuse vouchers within the appropriate time frame

* publishing their "suggested " schedule & allowing purchases 6 -7 months prior...comforting for many of us who don't like surprises.

Lost cost/budget air travel has it's trade-offs.